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OAKLAND – The Warriors have stayed adamant about not offering a timetable on DeMarcus Cousins’ return. After all, why project their starting center’s first game in a Warriors uniform when they still need to reevaluate his left Achilles tendon in four weeks?

Before that evaluation takes place, though, the Warriors might have be bale to evaluate Cousins’ on-court progress.

“I don’t think it will take too long before he takes part in practice,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said following the team’s first training camp practice on Tuesday. “But for right now, it’s important he gets his full workout with the training staff.”

The Warriors began practice at around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, while Cousins received treatment. Between 9 and 11 am, though, Cousins completed a two-hour workout that sounded pretty extensive.

“DeMarcus did a ton of movement stuff, court work, ball handling and shooting stuff on his own,” Kerr said.“But he did not take part with the team. We’re just taking it slowly with him.”

So slowly that Cousins will not play in any exhibition games, beginning with the Warriors’ preseason opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday at Oracle Arena. Cousins will miss at least the team’s first regular-season games, and likely more depending on the Warriors’ reevaluation. But since injuring his left Achilles tendon on Jan. 27 with the New Orleans Pelicans, Cousins said at media day on Monday that he has since completed full-court individual workouts as well as sessions of one-on-one and two-on-two. Most medical experts said it takes between eight to 10 months for a professional basketball player to return from an Achilles injury.

The Warriors became determined to accept that uncertainty because of Cousins’ credentials as a four-time NBA All-Star. Therefore, the Warriors spent their taypayer midlevel exception on the 28-year-old Cousins after failing to attract strong interest at the beginning of free agency. Though the Warriors have stressed about staying patient with Cousins’ recovery, they sounded encouraged with Cousins only after one day of training camp practice.

“He’s getting better everyday. These last two weeks, he’s been working out with little drills that we do,” Warriors second-year forward Jordan Bell said. “He can still shoot and can still handle the ball. He’s obviously not 100 percent healthy yet. But you can tell every single day he’s getting better and better.”

Promoting from within

The Warriors still have the same coaching staff as last year, but they tweaked some rules. The Warriors elevated Bruce Fraser to assistant coach after spending the past five seasons on the team’s coaching staff. The Warriors also named Chris DeMarco an assistant coach and director of player development after spending the past six seasons in different roles including video intern (2012-13), assistant video coordinator (2013-14), advance scout/video scout (2014-15) and assistant coach/player development (2015-2018).

The Warriors are expanding their player development this season because of the team’s influx of young players, including rookie guard/forward Jacob Evans, second-year forward Jordan Bell, third-year center Damian Jones, fourth-year forward Kevon Looney and fourth-year guard Quinn Cook. The Warriors’ bench in recent seasons featured plenty of veterans, including David West, Zaza Pachulia and JaVale McGee.

“I’m extremely appreciative of the opportunity,” DeMarco said. “I’m excited about it going forward, and what it could mean with our whole staff working with the young guys.”

Fraser, Kerr’s longtime college friend at the University of Arizona, has worked extensively in the past four seasons with Kerr. Fraser also works closely with Curry.

“Steve gives all of us a lot and empowers us all. No matter what our position is, it’s to add input and be vocal,” Fraser said. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot in the time I’ve been here. But it doesn’t change what input I have or how I sit or how much I make. It’s really a nice gesture that I’m progressing.”

Scouting report

The Warriors are pretty familiar with Damion Lee for two reasons. He is the brother-in-law of Warriors star Stephen Curry. He also played the majority of last season with the Warriors’ G-League team in Santa Cruz. Therefore, the Warriors hardly hesitated in signing Lee on a two-way contract.

“I like Damion’s length and shooting ability. He’s a modern prototype wing and a ‘3’and-D’ [player],” Kerr said. “He didn’t practice much today because of an injury. But he has a lot of potential.”